CHAPTER
I [Where Is Gawd?]
II [The Vision of a Promised Land]
III [The First Step into Canaan]
IV [Learning]
V [Disgrace]
VI [A Hint of Pink]
VII [Santa Claus]
VIII [A Little Touch of the Man with the Hour Glass]
IX [Home]
X [My Best Friend]
XI [Acceptance]
XII [Pain]
XIII [A Request]
XIV [Pink]
XV [Firelight]
XVI [The Mystery]
XVII [A Relapse]
XVIII [Forgiveness]
XIX [Spring]
XX [Pulling Off the Thorns]
XXI [Pink Roses]
CECILIA OF THE
PINK ROSES
CHAPTER I
WHERE IS GAWD?
The Madden flat was hot and the smell of frying potatoes filled it. Two or three flies buzzed tirelessly here and there, now and again landing with sticky clingingness on a small boy of four who screamed with their advent. When this happened a girl of seven stepped from the stove and shooed them away, saying: "Aw now, Johnny!" and Johnny would quiet.
The perspiration stood out on her upper lip and there were shadows, deeper than even Irish ones should be, beneath her eyes. The sun beat in cruelly at one window which was minus a shade. At another the shade was torn and run up crookedly.
In the hall there was the sound of a scuffle, then a smart slap, and a child's whimpering wail.
"What's—that?" came in a feeble voice from the bedroom off the kitchen.
"It's the new gent in the flat across whackin' his kid," answered the small girl.